'She had the courage to stand by her decisions, right or wrong'

Dr Jain, a surgeon by training, owns the Jain television network. He was recently expelled from the Bharatiya Janata Party national executive.

What began as a doctor-patient relationship became a family bond between Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia and me.

I was introduced to this towering personality from the former Raj gharana of Gwalior by Nanaji Deshmukh in 1973.
She had gone to Jammu for a party function, where she had chest pain and doctors advised her rest.

When she returned to Delhi, Nanaji took me to the Rajmata and told her I was a good doctor. I examined her ECG report and told her she did not suffer a heart attack in Jammu and could resume her political activities without restraint.
She was pleased to hear my opinion.

But Sardar Angre, her principal secretary, was not happy. He asked me how I could be so sure when I was only a surgeon and not a heart specialist. I told Angreji that what I said was true. Later, doctors from Bombay confirmed my opinion.

Since then she would let no one else examine her.

In December 1973, she had health problems in Bombay. Madhavrao Scindia told me he was sending a ticket and that I should come down and examine her.

When I reached Eden Hall, their palatial home, Dr Natubhai Shah, an eminent heart specialist, and Ram Batra were present. I examined her and gave her some medicines.

Gradually, her trust in me grew.

Later, it developed into a family bond.

She started consulting me on business, finance and even political issues.

She was very large hearted and had the courage to stand by her decisions, right or wrong.

She believed in principles and firmly stood by them.

She came from an ordinary family, but believed that whatever she or her family had, belonged to the people. When her husband Jivajirao merged Gwalior state with the Union of India, at Sardar Patel's behest, she persuaded her husband to give part of their property to the people.

She was asked by Pandit Nehru and later by Indira Gandhi to contest on a Congress ticket. She joined the Jan Sangh in 1967 and helped throw out Dwarka Prasad Mishra's government in Madhya Pradesh.

She was not a great orator, but won all the elections she contested. She had an extremely cordial relationship with Atalji, the prime minister of India, L K Advaniji and Kushabhau Thakre.

In her death, not only me, but Jain Television has lost its mentor, who stood by us in times of crises.

Once, (Chhattisgarh Chief Minister) Ajit Jogi asked me, ''What has Rajmata given you, except make you a Rajya Sabha member?'' I told him that whatever I am today is because of her.